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Heb 5:7. Ὃς, who) namely Christ, the Son of God, the Priest. This is not said, but who, with great significancy in the relative pronoun; for the subsequent discourse corresponds to the names given in Heb 5:5-6. A summary of those things, which are to be discussed in ch. 7. and the following chapters, is contained in Heb 5:7-10, and introduced with a remarkable anticipatory caution[30] and preparation, Heb 5:11-12. And there is most exquisitely comprehended in this summary the onward progress of His passion, with its most secret (inmost) causes, from Gethsemane even to Golgotha, and the expressions used here are the same as those used by the evangelists: comp. also Psa 22:3; Psa 22:20, etc., Psa 22:25, Psa 69:4; Psa 69:11, Psa 109:22.-ἘΝ ΤᾶΙς ἩΜΈΡΑΙς Τῆς ΣΑΡΚῸς ΑὐΤΟῦ, in the days of His flesh) in those days, the two especially, during which He suffered those things, and in order to suffer them, He assumed flesh like to that, which was sinful and mortal: ch. Heb 2:14, Heb 10:20; Mat 26:41, at the end: when by reason of weakness He seemed to be a mere man, Joh 19:5.-δεήσεις τε καὶ ἰκετηρίας, both prayers and also supplications) plural; for in Gethsemane He prayed thrice. The particle τε, both, indicates that the words are not mere synonyms in this passage: prayers refer to the mind; supplications, also to the body, as the origin of the word, ἱκετέυω, I supplicate shows, in Eustathius. Regarding both see Mat 26:39.-πρὸς τὸν δυνάμενον σώζειν αὐτὸν ἐκ θανάτου, to Him that was able to save Him from death) Abba Father, says He, all things are POSSIBLE to Thee; let this cup pass from Me. Mar 14:36 : comp. Joh 12:27. This possibility of all things to God is opposed to the weakness of Christ’s flesh.-σώζειν, to save) σώζειν, and presently ΣΩΤΗΡΊΑς, are conjugates, to save, salvation.-ἐκ) Presently; afterwards ἈΠῸ. The two words, in other respects, equivalent, agree here with the difference of the subject: out of death, from terror. He, however, in obedience to the will of the Father underwent the death, out of (ἐκ) which the Father might have delivered Him, so that He should not have died: He was altogether delivered from (ἀπὸ) its horror, in that He was heard.-ΜΕΤᾺ ΚΡΑΥΓῆς ἸΣΧΥΡᾶς ΚΑῚ ΔΑΚΡΎΩΝ, with strong crying and tears) On the cross, He is said to have cried, not to have shed tears. Both of these particulars, as the series of the events shows, refer to Gethsemane. κράζειι and ΚΡΑΥΓῊ in the LXX. correspond to the verbs זעק, and צעק, and שוע, and denote a cry from the depths of the soul, or vehement desire; ἘΚΤΕΝΈΣΤΕΡΟΝ, more earnestly, Luk 22:44; with a most willing spirit, Mat 26:41, whatever may be the words uttered; these occur very often in the Psalms, as אמר, to speak, to say, signifies also thought. Indeed, the cry of the mind, while the lips are closed, is more suitable to tears and sorrow; and yet there is no doubt, that Jesus added to His prayers in Gethsemane an incitement by uttering at intervals short cries, as well as to His supplications by tears (observe the Chiasmus) which were drawn forth not only from the eyes, but from the whole face and body, during that extreme heat [agony]. See Luke as quoted above: comp. with Rev 7:17; Rev 7:16. ΚΑῦΜΑ, ΔΆΚΡΥΟΝ, heat, tears. The sweat and blood of Christ were poured out like water. During the whole of His passion He alternately cried and was silent. Mat 26:37, etc.; Psa 22:2-3; Psa 22:15; Psa 69:2, etc., Psa 109:21, etc., where silence is an intimation of a wounded heart.-ΚΑῚ ΕἸΣΑΚΟΥΣΘΕῚς, and being heard) הושיע LXX. εἰσακούειν, Psa 55:17; עזד in like manner, 2Ch 18:31 : therefore in this passage σώζειν and εἰσακούειν, to save, and to hearken to, are very nearly the same. The agony and its issue are here referred to, ἤρξατο λυπεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδημονεῖν, He began to be sorrowful and very heavy.-ἝΩς ΘΑΝΆΤΟΥ, unto death, Mat 26:37-38.-ἐκθαμβεῖσθαι, Mar 14:33 : Luk 22:44 mentions the agony and sweat. When the cup was presented, there was also presented to the soul of the Saviour the horrible image of death, which was joined with sorrow, ignominy, and cursing, and was of a lingering nature, and He was moved to pray for the removal of the cup. But the purity of filial affection in the Saviour with the exercise of holy reason and moderation instantly softened that horror, and subsequently absorbed it completely, as the serenity of His mind returned. And He was heard, not that He should not drink the cup, but that He should now drink it without any horror; whence also He was strengthened by an angel. The fear was a something more horrible than death itself; when the feeling of horror was taken away before the coming of His enemies, He lays it down as a fixed principle, that the cup which he had wished conditionally not to drink, now cannot but be drunk. Joh 18:11.-ἈΠῸ) An abbreviated expression, ΕἸΣΑΚΟΥΣΘΕῚς ἈΠῸ, as ἘῤῬΑΝΤΙΣΜΈΝΟΙ ἈΠῸ, ch. Heb 10:22. So Psalms 118 (117):5, אגני במדחב ἘΠΉΚΟΥΣΈ ΜΟΥ ΕἸς ΠΛΑΤΥΣΜΌΝ.-ἈΠῸ Τῆς ΕὐΛΑΒΕΊΑς [not as Eng. Ver. in that He feared] from horror). The Greek word here has singular elegance and denotes something wore subtle than if one were to say fear. No Latin word more suitable than horror occurs to us. Comp. ΕὐΛΑΒΗΘΕῚς, ch. Heb 11:7. He had lately used ΘΑΝΆΤΟΥ, without the article; now he has Τῆς ΕὐΛΑΒΕΊΑς with the article, of which the relative power indicates that the signification of ΕὐΛΑΒΕΊΑς is included in the mention made of death, which was horrible in its assault.
[30] See Append. on προθεραπέια.